The Potential Role of the Six1/Eya1 Pathway in the Establishment of Leukemia Stem Cells in MLL-ENL – Induced Leukemia

Abstract 1362

During the multistep pathogenesis of acute leukemia (AL), a pool of leukemia stem cells (LSCs) emerges that is capable of limitless self-renewal and ensuring disease maintenance. The molecular mechanism that controls the kinetics of cellular transformation and development of LSCs is largely unknown.

Using our MLL-ENL-ERtm mouse model, we have previously shown (Takacova et al., Blood 2009, 114 (22): 947–947, ASH abstract) activation of the ATR/ATM-Chk1/Chk2-p53/p21 checkpoint leading to senescence at early stages of cellular transformation (myeloproliferation), thereby preventing AL development in vivo. Experimental ATM/ATR inhibition accelerated the transition to immature cell states, acquisition of LSC properties and AL development in these mice. The MLL-ENL-ERtm mouse model allows us to study the kinetics of MLL-ENL-ERtm LSC development.

We raised the questions how the transformation process progresses from the pre-LSC to the LSC state, and how DNA damage response (DDR) - mediated senescence affects the transition in gene expression.

Given that the threshold of DDR signaling events is rate-limiting, we determined the transcription profile of the pre- LSC–enriched cell states derived from bone marrow and spleen of the MLL-ENL-ERtm mice at the early disease stage, and we correlated this transcription profile with the level of DDR, proliferation rate and induction of senescence. Pair-wise comparisons revealed up-regulation of the Six1 transcription factor gene and its cofactor Eya1 in the MLL-ENL-ERtm pre-LSCs in association with aberrant proliferation in both tissues. The notable difference between the two tissues concerning the barrier induction was the higher threshold of DDR and senescence in the bone marrow due to cooperation with inflammatory cytokines that fine-tune the DDR level. Interestingly, the expression of Six1 and Eya1 genes was down-regulated in senescence exclusively in the bone marrow. Consistent with these in vivo data, we found Six1 expression decreased in response to inflammation/DDR-induced senescence in the MLL-ENL-ERtm bone marrow cells cultured in vitro and correlated with SA-beta-gal positivity and p16 up-regulation. Six1 mRNA level was decreased only transiently after ionizing radiation (4 Gy)-induced DDR in the same cell line. These data suggest that Six1 expression is down-regulated in response to high DDR and permanent cell-cycle arrest in the MLL-ENL-ERtm pre-LSCs.

Furthermore, we identified the transcription profile of the LSC-enriched cell state after inhibition of DDR in caffeine-treated MLL-ENL-ERtm mice in vivo. Interestingly, the expression level of Six1 and Eya1 was significantly increased in the bone marrow and spleen of the MLL-ENL-ERtm AML mice compared to the early (preleukemia) stage. High expression of Six1 and Eya1 and higher cell number expressing these genes was further confirmed by immunohistochemical staining on tissue sections. The MLL-ENL-ERtm LSC-enriched spleen cells showed increased colony forming ability in vitro and leukemia-initiating potential in serial transplantation experiments compared to pre-LSCs. Moreover, we detected Six1 and Eya1 expression in the infiltrating leukemia cells in tissues of the caffeine-treated MLL-ENL-ERtm AML mice and in a subset of leukemia cells in transplanted mice. Based on these findings and correlations, we hypothesized that the Six1/Eya1 pathway might be involved in regulation of some of the aspects of LSC development as well as invasion and maintenance of leukemia in our MLL-ENL-ERtm mice. Notably, our data indicate that senescence represses a subset of the MLL-ENL-downstream transcription response and prevents full activation of self-renewal. Experiments leading to more detailed understanding of the role of the Six1/Eya1 pathway in the MLL-ENL-induced cellular transformation are ongoing.